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Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.) calls the stimulus a 'boondoggle' and 'dismal failure,' but he made sure he was on hand to present the city of Cedartown with an oversize check signed by 'Uncle Sam.'
John Shinkle

Digg/Buzz It Up

POLITICO 44

Congressional Republicans will make opposition to President Barack Obama’s 2009 stimulus plan a centerpiece of their 2010 campaign.

They’re plying reporters with polls raising doubts about the stimulus, demanding that Democrats say whether they still support the stimulus and declaring, as Minority Whip Eric Cantor did on the “Today” show Wednesday, that “the stimulus hasn’t worked.”

There’s just one catch: According to a tally kept by the White House, at least 65 congressional Republicans have touted the stimulus dollars that have flowed into their own states.

Georgia Rep. Phil Gingrey is one of them.

Gingrey calls the stimulus a “boondoggle” and a “dismal failure” — and like all House Republicans, he voted against it last year. But when Cedartown, Ga., got $625,000 in stimulus funds to help build new sidewalks, Gingrey made sure he was on hand to present the city with an oversize check signed by “Uncle Sam.”

How does he explain the disconnect?

“The money’s going to be spent — if not in Georgia ... in Massachusetts, California and New Jersey,” Gingrey told POLITICO. “It would be unconscionable for me to stand in the way of that money.”

Not everyone thinks so — including some Republicans.

“Those who are doing that are still thinking that bringing home the bacon is going to get them elected,” said Max Pappas, spokesman for the conservative group FreedomWorks, which has played a leading role in the tea party movement. “I don’t think the fiscal conservatives who are at the center of the American political spectrum are going to be very impressed.”

“It’s pretty hypocritical for someone to be against the stimulus and then walk around handing out big checks,” said Andrew Roth, vice president of public affairs for the conservative anti-tax group Club for Growth. “I think Republicans who did that should be worried.”

In Florida, the Club for Growth is backing former state Speaker Marco Rubio over Florida Gov. Charlie Crist in the Republican Senate primary — and the stimulus is an issue in the race. Rubio attacked Crist on Wednesday for supporting the stimulus when it was being debated in Congress, saying that he’d “cut the legs out from under” the GOP by doing so.

But Rubio has said that he also would have accepted whatever stimulus funds would have helped Florida. And indeed, despite some early rumblings, every governor — Republican and Democrat — ultimately accepted stimulus funds.

Readers' Comments (22)

Lets see Obamas stimulus plan, perpetual un-employment benefits. Free this and free that, Jobs blah, blah, blah. Not mentioned was the continued costs that are being piled up on generations of Americans. It's time to stop all the bailouts and Stimulus packages and just take our medicine. Sometimes the medicine you have to take is bitter and hard to swallow. But you come back better and stronger for having taken it. We created this problem, we should face the consequences, not our kids and grandkids. We are robbing their future. Sad times in America. The Republicans are so right on this one !

First we had TBTF banks; now we have TBTF states. On one hand I find it understandable that pols will take money for budget deficits; no matter that it affects only a few in most cases. What is most disturbing is the precedent it may set to bail out the most egregious in fiscal irresponsibility.

If the American people are asked to bail out California, for example, then all hell will break loose. Just as in the "real world", states like California should bite the bullet, declare bankruptcy, and have a judge abrogate some of those outlandish contracts that give union workers millions in retirement benefits while millions in America struggle to put food on the table. A 30% cut in bureaucracy wouldn't hurt either.

The President's SOTU hinted at some fiscal responsibility. Let's hope the "details" don't show just more of the same entitlements to the base.

I'd call a hypocrite a hypocrite. They are just being a politician and trying to cover their butts so they will get re-elected. And, where are the facts that stimulus monies are being spent disproportionatly in Democrat districts? If it's like the budget with the big earmarks, they were spread approximately evenly, along party lines, with both parties feeding hardily at the trough. Republicans shouldn't get too pious on this one.

IF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WANT'S TO WIN THE MIDTREM ELECTION 2010 AND THE PRESIDENTIAL 2012 ELECTION

"GIVE THE PEOPLE THE SAME HEALTH CARE INSURANCE COVERAGE YOU HAVE REPUBLICAN PARTY SENATORS"! WITH NO PORK BARREL IN IT ! AND NO OTHER ADDITIVES IN THE HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL PERIOD YOU WILL WIN THE DAY !

THIS WOULD BE YOUR VOICE TO THE PEOPLE!

THAT IS THE HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL PLAN YOU NEED TO WRITE UP AND GIVE TO PRESIDENT OBAMA!

THEN YOU WILL HAVE OUT DONE THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY HANDS DOWN!

GOP YOU DON'T HAVE A PLATE FORM TO STAND ON AT PRESENT DAY!

"GIVE THE PEOPLE THE SAME HEALTH CARE INSURANCE COVERAGE YOU HAVE REPUBLICAN PARTY SENATORS DO IT NOW "!

Unfortunately, the Republicans would never vote for the tax increase that would be neccessary to finance this fine idea.

If you believe this "stimulus" worked - then you're at odds with 3 out of 4 voters. Once again the socialists like to set up a phoney argument because they can't win real ones. They would force federal taxpayers to foot the bill for this garbage - then criticize them as hypocrites for demanding some of it back.

The game's over "progressives" 70 yrs of public education havent made the taxpayer THAT stupid.

I do agree it would have been unconscionable for the any representative to decline much needed money to any state. To present this as part of their plateform against Obama can only work on the stupid. It's true we need to have a balanced budget but I'd be danged if I want to hear a thing the party of No has to say!

The real story shpuld be how Democrats have directed funds disproportionately to democratic districts. Now that seems almost criminal, but no mention of that in this story even though it is a fact.

Perhaps you should do some further research on the matter. Particularly how the distribution of dollars was done when the Gop had control. Not making a statement about the validity of the practice, but you seemingly want us to believe Republicans are somehow different in this respect.